


the good fight (or, the pains of saying i love you)

by bicroft



Series: SidGeno Tumblr Prompts [6]
Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, arguments as a way of diffusing romantic and sexual tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-14
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-10-31 22:01:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10908306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bicroft/pseuds/bicroft
Summary: Zhenya had known he was in for a fight when they got off the ice the moment he’d sat down in the penalty box and seen Sid’s absolutely murderous expression staring back at him from the bench. Not murderous because Sid had just been obviously hit, but murderous because Zhenya had retaliated, of course. Just like Sid, to get mad about the wrong thing.





	the good fight (or, the pains of saying i love you)

**Author's Note:**

> mmmm i think these prompts have become my new lifesource 
> 
> crossposted from tumblr @sidsknee, anonymous asked for: "blow up arguments from misunderstandings that lead to one yelling they love the other"

“You can’t keep fucking _doing_ this, Geno.” 

Zhenya had known he was in for a fight when they got off the ice the moment he’d sat down in the penalty box and seen Sid’s absolutely _murderous_ expression staring back at him from the bench. Not murderous because Sid had just been _obviously hit_ , but murderous because Zhenya had retaliated, of course. Just like Sid, to get mad about the wrong thing.

“Keep doing what?” Zhenya asked, just to be a smart ass about it. “Do right thing? If people not get in trouble for hit you, they keep hitting, Sid- refs not do anything, so, I’m handle.”

“This is hockey, not a damn superhero movie.” Sid spits, and oh, is he pissed. Zhenya hasn’t seen Sid this pissed in a very, very long time, and it’s chilling, really- but, Zhenya’s an asshole, and he knows Sid is wrong, so he pushes on. 

“Not have to be superhero to make sure no one hurt teammate.” he shoots back, stepping forward into Sid’s space, into Sid’s _face_ , using every single one of the extra inches he has to tower over Sid; if he wants a fight, he’s going to get it. 

“The hit didn’t matter.” Sid says, not backing down an inch, and meeting Zhenya’s gaze. “What matters is you taking _stupid_ penalties, and getting yourself put in the box, and costing us the fucking powerplay- costing us the fucking _game_ , tonight, Geno.” 

Tonight had been a shitty night; they’d lost a multi-goal lead, and Zhenya knew it was in no small part because of his fighting major. The loss wasn’t he point of this, though- not tonight, and at least, not to Zhenya. It might be to  Sid, but Zhenya had a bigger point to prove. 

“Hit doesn’t matter.” Zhenya echoes, mocking in a falsetto. “Bull _shit_ , Sid- hit always matters, fact that you never fucking _stand up for yourself_  matters!”

Sid’s face falls for a half second before he gets angry again, but Zhenya cuts him off before he opens his mouth. “I know. You above it all, have to be because if you not, people just use it to say nasty things. But, know who not above it, Sid? _Me_. I’m not have to be, don’t care if people say nasty things about me.” 

“ _I_ care.” Sid hisses. “I care, because it’s not just people being _mean_ , this isn’t a fucking playground. We need you on the ice, Geno- _especially_  on the powerplay. Some guy taking a stupid pot shot at me doesn’t-”

“Don’t you _dare_  say doesn’t matter again.” Zhenya says, surprising himself and, seemingly, Sid too with the ferocity behind it. “Because it _does_  matter to me, Sid- _you_ matter to me, matter more than-” 

“And you think you don’t matter to me?” Sid’s voice echoes in the empty corridor they’re standing in; they’re lucky no one goes to this part of the area after games. “You think that watching you fight isn’t fucking _awful_ , for me, Geno? People take potshots at me, and that doesn’t matter, but I will be _damned_ before I let someone I love get beat up trying to protect honor I don’t fucking care to have.” 

His words hit Zhenya like a blow- not because they’re harsh, despite the tone. No, they sting because. “Say again.” Zhenya says, sounding punched out and breathless, entire resolve wavering. 

Sid gapes at him, and for a second, he looks like he’s about to run before Zhenya slams his hand onto the wall behind Sid, crowding him against it. “Say again, Sid.” he grits out between his teeth. 

“I’m not going to let someone I love--” Sid says, quiet, and Zhenya cuts him off with a noise that’s in between a growl and a keen, and when Sid gasps, he cuts him off with a kiss. 

When he imagined kissing Sid for the first time, it isn’t this; there’s too much teeth, here, too much anger and desperation of the burning kind. He’d imagined it gentle and romantic, and decidedly not in a dark hallway at the back of PPG Paints Arena. 

The kiss is perfect anyway. 

“Again,” he rasps against Sid’s collar when they pull away, panting for breath. 

“I love you.” Sid breathes, finally getting with the program. He tugs Zhenya’s hair when Zhenya bites a kiss onto his neck. “ _Fuck_ , Geno, we’re in public, don’t give me a fucking _hickey_ \- what are you, thirteen?” 

“Give you hickey when we get home, then.” Zhenya huffs, mind already made up and he pulls himself away from the wall, and grabs Sid’s hand to bring him with him.

Sid’s eyes go wide, and the red on his cheeks and matching kiss-stained lips are well worth the fist shaped bruises Zhenya’s nursing from his fight. “What?” 

“Love you too, Sid.” Zhenya says, just now realizing he hadn’t said it back. Oops. “Love you, so, take you home, and kiss you until you understand that you getting hurt? Not something I’m let happen. Ever.” 

“Christ, Geno.” Sid says, breathless again. Breathless Sid is slowly creeping his way into the top spot of Zhenya’s Favorite Sids. 

“Home, Sid. Bed.” Zhenya says, tugging Sid’s hand. 

“Christ,” Sid repeats, but he’s smiling now, and almost giggling. Giggly Sid is another one of Zhenya’s favorites. “Okay. Okay, home, bed- and, we actually have to talk about this in the morning.” 

“Talk too _much_ ,” Zhenya groans, long suffering, but Sid’s laughing, so he knows things are okay. “Yes, fine, Sid. Home, bed, kiss you until only thing you talk about is my name.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Sid says, and finally, _finally_ , he lets Zhenya drag him out of the hallway. 

They’re laughing like teenagers all the way to their cars, and Sid gives him one last smile before he ducks into his car and peels out of the parking lot at  a breakneck speed Zhenya is proud to say he probably picked up from riding with him. 

Some fights, he muses as he follows suit, are definitely worth fighting.


End file.
